How to make Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls: Spicy and Plain!

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I made these style of Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls for the first time in May. My favorite author Yangsze Cho (Have you read or listened to her books?!) posted to Facebook pictures and a link to a video on how to make a tuna filled roll. I was captivated by the shine and the shape of the rolls. And of course, I simply had to make them! They were so soft and tastes amazing.

Fast forward to September, I was trying to figure out how to use up this gigantic block of cream cheese in my fridge. I thought why not make these rolls and use some of the cream cheese for filling?

With that in mind I made these rolls from scratch today. Since some of us like it plain, and some spicy, I decided to make it 2 ways. This recipe yields 16 rolls – 8 of each.

Ingredients

1¼ cups (286g) whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp (6g) active yeast, rounded spoonful
3 cups (400g) Bread Flour, and more for dusting
4 tsp (20g) sugar
1 tsp (6g) salt
2 Tbs (28g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (225g) Cream Cheese, sliced into 16 pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1Tbs water for eggwash
2 stalks green onions, chopped
chili flakes, sprinkling for spicy rolls

Putting Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Together

Preparing

Let’s start by gathering and measuring all the ingredients.

First, mix yeast into the milk and stir. Then, whisk flour, sugar and salt until combined. Next, make a well in the middle. Pour the yeast milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Then, combine until a dough is formed.

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Tip dough onto a lightly dusted work space and knead until smooth, about 5-8 minutes. When ready, flatten dough slightly, add in the butter and continue kneading until well incorporated, another 5 minutes.

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Next, pat dough into a ball and place in a bowl, cover and let it rise for approx a hour, or until it doubled in size.

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When ready, punch down and divide into 16 pieces.

Shaping

Roll the divided dough into balls and cover with a damp kitchen towel for 15 minutes. When waiting, line your baking pan with parchment paper.

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Next, roll out your dough into a circle, approx. 5 inches/12cm. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut slits to about ⅓ of the circle, starting about ½ inch from the edge into the middle of the circle. Make about 7 (or more slits) per circle.

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Filling the Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls 2 Ways

Place the prepared cream cheese on the opposite side of the slits, about ½ inch from the edge. Spread so that the filling is evenly distributed.

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For the spicy version, top cream cheese with a pinch of chopped green onion and red chili flake.

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Then, roll the edge over the cream cheese and gently roll up the dough. When done, pinch gently to seal the ends and edges.

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Set the roll seam side down on the prepared parchment lined pan. Curve the roll slightly to make it into a crescent shape. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Then, let the shaped rolls rest for another 15 minutes.

Baking

Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C. Then, prepare the egg wash. Next, brush the dough on all sides with the egg wash.

Pop into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Finally, remove from oven, place on rack to cool. Enjoy!

Notes on Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls

1. Adjust the heat of the spicy filling according to your liking by increasing or decreasing the amount of red chili flakes used.
2. You can add toppings to the rolls after adding egg wash. I think sesame seeds, or poppy seeds would add another layer or pop to these filled rolls.
3. Uneaten rolls can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 days.

This was adapted from Cook Kafemarus Corn, Tuna and Bread recipe => https://youtu.be/xV-eyjLW9Ho

More Flavorful Ideas:

Have you ever tried Lucky Long Life Noodles? Its a wonderful dish popular in Asia usually eaten at birthdays and celebrations. See how I put it together here => Have you ever tried Lucky Long Life Noodles?

Potatoes and onions are a wonderful combination. See how to make a simple pie with these 2 pantry ingredients here => Simple No-Flour Potatoes Onions Layer Pie: See How I Made it from Scratch!

For busy mornings and busy days, check out these delicious and nutritious Strawberries Craisins Oatmeal Cups. They are easy and quick to put together (under 45 mins from start to finish!) => Strawberry Craisin Oatmeal Cup: It’s Petite and Amazing